What is a Lupus Rash?

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The autoimmune disorder Lupus causes the body to attack its tissues. The most coveted target is the skin, but the disease has been known to damage internal organs as well. So, what is a lupus rash?
A defining characteristic of the condition a butterfly-shaped rash that extends across the bridge of the nose and cheeks.

What Does a Lupus Rash Look Like?

It gives sufferers a bit of a Santa Claus resemblance, with rosy cheeks and a flushed face. Skin often becomes severely dry and flaky and develops an acute sensitivity to sunlight. The neck, arms, and shoulders can be affected with a purple, scaly rash with a tendency to itch and burn.
In many people, lupus will attack the nails and nail beds. Fingernails break easily and split down the middle. Blue or reddish spots on the base of nails are common. Fingertips can swell and take on a puffy appearance. If the illness affects the scalp, you may see bald patches of hair loss.
Need more specifics on what does a lupus rash look like? We have pulled some photos of specific cases based on gender and severity. Scroll down for more information.

Lupus Symptoms in Women: Images of Rash

Lupus is approximately nine times more prevalent in women than in men. The reason for this is largely unknown, but medical scientists theorize that it is related to sex chromosomes and hormones. In a complex study, researchers were able to identify differences in the sexes and conclude that men required a greater average cumulative total of lupus-prone genes than women to develop the disease.
Both men and women experience the following signs:

Treatment for men and women is mostly identical, but pregnant or childbearing-aged women who hope to become knocked up should avoid the following prescriptions due to their teratogenic tendencies (risk of birth defects):

Methotrexate

Leflunomide (Arava)

Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)

Mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept)

Warfarin (Coumadin)

Lupus has been shown to present issues during pregnancy for women including miscarriage, high blood pressure, preeclampsia, diabetes, urinary tract infections (UTI), and increases of disease flares.
Lupus symptoms in women displays in images of the rash in the following pictures.

Serositis. Inflammation of the lining of the lungs, abdomen, and heart.

Pleuritis. Lung inflammation.

Men's fertility can be affected by lupus, despite not being the vessel for the fetus. While no evidence suggests their virility is affected directly by the disease, immune-suppressing medications can damage sperm cells.
With lupus symptoms in men, the rash is more likely to be scaly with circular red spots (in contrast to the butterfly rash). This is called a discoid rash and these images will help you classify it.

Exposure Pics of Lupus Rash in Children

The target audience for lupus is women in their late teens through around age 45. There has been a link discovered between estrogen and lupus diagnosis. While not the majority, lupus rash in children does exist. It is estimated that 25,000 children under the age of 15 are struck with lupus each year.
Pediatric lupus can range from mild to severe and even be fatal in rare instances. Kidney problems are common among young kids and adolescents with lupus, with many requiring transplants to survive.
The following exposure pics tell the story of dealing with lupus at such a tender age. Check out the images of the outbreak on the legs, common in younger patients.

Lupus Rash Treatment

No total cure has been discovered for lupus, yet. Like all autoimmune dysfunction, the disease lasts a lifetime and requires consistent management. Effective lupus rash treatment includes due diligence and a combination of the following tactics:

Topical immunomodulators. A new wave of autoimmune specific ointments show promise in reducing rash breakouts with the added bonus of avoiding side-effects of corticosteroids. Two leaders in the field are tacrolimus ointment (Protopic) and pimecrolimus cream (Elidel).

Corticosteroids. These come packaged in creams, gels, foams, pills, lotions, and sprays. These drugs mimic adrenal gland function and reduce inflammation. Negative side-effects, as mentioned previously, include weight gain, fluid retention, and hypertension which are all magnified by too much sodium in the diet.

Antimalarials. Pharmaceuticals typically prescribed for malaria can be used off-label to reduce lupus symptoms by shrinking autoantibody production and decreasing sun sensitivity.

What is drug induced lupus?

No great mystery, DIL is lupus caused by the use of certain medications, commonly over a long period of time. These substances alter the body’s immune response, actuating a form of lupus due to lengthy over exposure. Drug induced lupus does not affect everyone; in a controlled sample of users, matched in age and exhibiting identical health concerns, some will develop drug induced lupus whilst others remain unaffected.

Is drug induced Lupus the same as SLE – Systemic Lupus Erythematosus?

The symptoms of SLE are very similar to medically induced lupus which is an alternative moniker for DIL. Flu-like symptoms, unusual or left field blood test results and joint pain are typically shared reactions in both scenarios.
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Certainty can be established by the withdrawal or cessation of the offending remedies following which the condition should disappear totally.

Are there known Lupus medications which can cause drug induced lupus?

There is a rogues’ gallery of key offenders which have form in instigating drug induced lupus. They demonstrate the complex balancing act of the physician who must weigh one risk against another, particularly if the drug of choice is the only or best option for the patient. These compound medications are used to treat significant diseases and so their recommendation is not undertaken lightly. There are actually 46 known remedies which have the potential to activate DIL including chemotherapy drugs and significant pain medications but in reality, the risks are negligible for all but three of them. The trio of principle protagonists are:-

Isoniazid which is used in the treatment of Tuberculosis or TB

A medication prescribed for cardiac arrhythmias called Procainamide branded as Pronesty

Hydralazine which is controlling medicine for elevated blood pressure or hypertension marketed under the label, Apresoline

These Lupus medications as they are referred to may not initiate any symptoms for years, if ever. All medicines carry risks especially if they are taken continuously for a long period of time.
A doctor will always prescribe the best medication for his patient whilst advising of and monitoring carefully for any side effects. Sometimes, DIL can take years before it manifests itself but an approach that is too cautionary would have denied that particular individual, the best medication recommended for their particular condition, perhaps wholly unnecessarily.
In more recent times, DILE has been connected to state of the art new medications including TNF (tumour necrosis factor) blockers and interferons. Described as TAIL – TNF alpha antagonist-induced lupus syndrome – an impressive list is being compiled including estrogen based oral contraceptive pills and what are termed, other biologic agents.

Is there any other method used to determine whether drugs are causing Lupus symptoms?

There is a blood test for systemic lupus which identifies and highlights antinuclear antibodies or ANA. The majority of those with drug induced lupus are often ANA negative. The medical profession does not use this test on a precautionary and regular basis rather like screening. Instead, they wait for patients to report adverse reactions and then, depending on their nature or severity, run bloods at that point.

What action is taken after a DIL diagnosis?

The medication is stopped with immediate effect, no tapering withdrawal period. Despite this urgent action, symptoms can take weeks to recede and die down. Such is the peculiarity and uniqueness of the human immune system that symptoms can develop years into a long-term drug regime, hence the difficulties associated with detecting the cause.
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An alternative remedy needs to be selected with care to manage the primary condition. There is no scientific data to support the claim that DIL will in turn metamorphosed into the full lupus condition.

Is there a particular type of person more vulnerable to drug induced lupus?

There are some indicators that men are more prone to succumb than women but this has been attributed to the fact that they are prescribed these medications more frequently statistically. Evidence suggests that men aged over 50 are more likely to contract DIL but this may just be a response to an immune system altering with age.
Drug induced lupus is distinct from merely adverse side effects although this is not to trivialise the latter. Most takers comprehend contraindications, that dire list in the pill packet, but not so many anticipate they could acquire a whole new disease. The Dean of Pharmacy at the University of California maintains this is an artificial distinction, purely “a matter of semantics”. Any compromise or complications to regular bodily functions is a disease.

Article References:

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[post_content] => Lupus, not the most well-known disease around, the limelight frequently stolen by cancer and heart disease. Lupus is a lifelong, chronic plague and there are some quite famous people who have it and you may not have realised. Selena Gomes, actress and pop idol from the States recently shared her secret posting on Instagram due to her requirement for a kidney transplant. She is in good company - Lady Gaga, Seal, Michael Jackson and Elaine Paige.
In the 21st century, fessing up about a health condition of life problem is right in vogue. The internet and blogging, in particular, allows insights into people’s lives for good and ill. Sharing someone’s Lupus journey and their diagnosis stories are educational, insightful and ultimately, inspirational.

What is Lupus and what causes Lupus?

Lupus disease is an auto immune malfunction; the immune system basically goes into overdrive and attacks the body it is designed to protect. Similar to Psoriasis although not just confined to the skin, it is a totally pervasive and systemic condition. The full name is Systemic Lupus Erythematosus or SLE which reflects its ability to impact on almost any part or system of the body.
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What causes Lupus is unknown. Scientists and clinicians understand the process occurring within the human body, essentially the immune system has lost the ability to differentiate between healthy tissue and unwelcome invaders or antigens. They know that specific things can trigger it such as stress but what causes Lupus to develop in one person and not another eludes the researchers still.

Is it possible to determine the signs of Lupus or are they confused with other illnesses?

Because of the many manifestations of Lupus, mixing it up with another issue is quite probable. The signs of Lupus are so wide-ranging, essentially revolving around inflammation which can occur almost anywhere in the body. Add into the mix periods of remission and normal life activity and you get the idea that Lupus is a complex disorder.
Medics at the American College of Rheumatology have narrowed down the signs of Lupus to around a dozen including but not limited to:

a skin rash which is butterfly shaped plus other raised angry patches or weals

a high protein count in a urine sample

Sensitivity to light

Arthritis or aching, inflammation and soreness in at least two joints

Fever

Positive ANA – Anti Nuclear Antibody – blood test

The signs of Lupus in adults are pretty similar to the signs in a child, children are just harder to diagnose due to their tender years and potential difficulties in communication but the diagnosis criteria do not differ enormously.

Can my ordinary practitioner make a Lupus diagnosis?

A family doctor or GP would not have sufficient knowledge or specialism to offer a definitive Lupus diagnosis. Instead, he will likely refer you with the available symptomatic evidence plus clinical history to a specialist treatment center offering both diagnosis and ongoing treatment guidelines and treatment options.

Lupus Treatment Centers

In the UK, a nationwide network of treatment centers of excellence was established at large hospitals throughout the country reflecting the disparate and diverse symptoms of Lupus and the wide variety of treatment options.
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The stated aim was to create the best treatment centres for focal and specialist care for Lupus patients in locations which offered a breadth of knowledge and collaborative medicine. Across the pond, the Lupus Foundation of America is doing the self-same thing, aiming to centralise expertise and know-how so that Lupus is treated holistically rather than within differing branches of medicine.

What actual treatments are there available for Lupus?

Because Lupus does not have a cure as such, treatment options center around symptomatic management combined with cutting edge research to advance diagnosis and the ultimate quest for a solution.
There are medications both oral and injectable which are used to control the symptoms of Lupus. Your prescription will depend wholly on your particular needs and lifestyle challenges. Here is a brief summary of some drugs you might expect to see on the pharmacist’s list for Lupus treatment:

Anti-inflammatory medication must be top of the list, the most commonly prescribed variant for Lupus dealing with discomfort and pain and the imperative to break the destructive cycle of inflammation but sometimes, over the counter options like Ibuprofen are all that is needed. These are denoted as Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatories or NSAID, a more appropriate starting point than steroids due to fewer side effects but still not to be popped like Smarties, higher doses require a prescription.

Antimalarials, Plaquenil or Aralen, often used in conjunction with other remedies like steroids, they are commonly the drug of choice for mouth ulcers and rashes and lesions on the skin, they have fewer adverse reactions than steroids.

Immunosuppressives developed to cool down the overactive immune system, often a choice of last resort as they carry serious side effects.

Corticosteroids, sometimes required during an acute flare-up, most popularly Prednisolone, usually in tablet form but can be administered intravenously. High dosages are always tapered off as soon as possible.

Anticoagulants because of the propensity of Lupus to cause life-threatening blood clots, so Heparin and Warfarin.

Many diagnosed with Lupus will seek natural treatment alternatives because so many of these prescribed remedies have to be used long-term. There is a desire to avoid reliance on strong chemicals but also a psychology need to take control and become empowered in living with this convoluted and multi-faceted illness.

What is a Lupus Rash?

[RELATED]
The autoimmune disorder Lupus causes the body to attack its tissues. The most coveted target is the skin, but the disease has been known to damage internal organs as well. So, what is a lupus rash?
A defining characteristic of the condition a butterfly-shaped rash that extends across the bridge of the nose and cheeks.

What Does a Lupus Rash Look Like?

It gives sufferers a bit of a Santa Claus resemblance, with rosy cheeks and a flushed face. Skin often becomes severely dry and flaky and develops an acute sensitivity to sunlight. The neck, arms, and shoulders can be affected with a purple, scaly rash with a tendency to itch and burn.
In many people, lupus will attack the nails and nail beds. Fingernails break easily and split down the middle. Blue or reddish spots on the base of nails are common. Fingertips can swell and take on a puffy appearance. If the illness affects the scalp, you may see bald patches of hair loss.
Need more specifics on what does a lupus rash look like? We have pulled some photos of specific cases based on gender and severity. Scroll down for more information.

Lupus Symptoms in Women: Images of Rash

Lupus is approximately nine times more prevalent in women than in men. The reason for this is largely unknown, but medical scientists theorize that it is related to sex chromosomes and hormones. In a complex study, researchers were able to identify differences in the sexes and conclude that men required a greater average cumulative total of lupus-prone genes than women to develop the disease.
Both men and women experience the following signs:

Treatment for men and women is mostly identical, but pregnant or childbearing-aged women who hope to become knocked up should avoid the following prescriptions due to their teratogenic tendencies (risk of birth defects):

Methotrexate

Leflunomide (Arava)

Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)

Mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept)

Warfarin (Coumadin)

Lupus has been shown to present issues during pregnancy for women including miscarriage, high blood pressure, preeclampsia, diabetes, urinary tract infections (UTI), and increases of disease flares.
Lupus symptoms in women displays in images of the rash in the following pictures.

Serositis. Inflammation of the lining of the lungs, abdomen, and heart.

Pleuritis. Lung inflammation.

Men's fertility can be affected by lupus, despite not being the vessel for the fetus. While no evidence suggests their virility is affected directly by the disease, immune-suppressing medications can damage sperm cells.
With lupus symptoms in men, the rash is more likely to be scaly with circular red spots (in contrast to the butterfly rash). This is called a discoid rash and these images will help you classify it.

Exposure Pics of Lupus Rash in Children

The target audience for lupus is women in their late teens through around age 45. There has been a link discovered between estrogen and lupus diagnosis. While not the majority, lupus rash in children does exist. It is estimated that 25,000 children under the age of 15 are struck with lupus each year.
Pediatric lupus can range from mild to severe and even be fatal in rare instances. Kidney problems are common among young kids and adolescents with lupus, with many requiring transplants to survive.
The following exposure pics tell the story of dealing with lupus at such a tender age. Check out the images of the outbreak on the legs, common in younger patients.

Lupus Rash Treatment

No total cure has been discovered for lupus, yet. Like all autoimmune dysfunction, the disease lasts a lifetime and requires consistent management. Effective lupus rash treatment includes due diligence and a combination of the following tactics:

Topical immunomodulators. A new wave of autoimmune specific ointments show promise in reducing rash breakouts with the added bonus of avoiding side-effects of corticosteroids. Two leaders in the field are tacrolimus ointment (Protopic) and pimecrolimus cream (Elidel).

Corticosteroids. These come packaged in creams, gels, foams, pills, lotions, and sprays. These drugs mimic adrenal gland function and reduce inflammation. Negative side-effects, as mentioned previously, include weight gain, fluid retention, and hypertension which are all magnified by too much sodium in the diet.

Antimalarials. Pharmaceuticals typically prescribed for malaria can be used off-label to reduce lupus symptoms by shrinking autoantibody production and decreasing sun sensitivity.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease. It occurs when immune cells mistakenly attack healthy tissues. This results in acute and chronic inflammation which can lead to systematic organ failure and death. The type that predominantly affects the skin is known as cutaneous lupus. Most cases are reported in middle aged women although anyone can be affected. Learn more about signs, types, causes and lupus treatment here.